Morbidity Pattern and Role of Community Health Workers in Urban Slums of Durg and Bhilai City of Chhattisgarh

INTRODUCTION: In 2002, the Government of Chhattisgarh initiated a Community Health Worker program called the Mitanin Program, to strengthen the health system of Chhattisgarh. The current study was conducted with the twin objectives to assess morbidity pattern and health-seeking behavior in urban slums of Durg and Bhilai to understand the role of Mitanins in health seeking of their slum population. METHODS: Ten urban slums, five each from Durg and Bhilai were selected through simple random sampling for the study. Household survey was done using prestructured questionnaire. A total of 1025 households representing 4997 family members were surveyed. RESULTS: The study found that diseases which were most prevalent in the urban slums of Durg and Bhilai are blood pressure and diabetes mellitus. Diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis, tuberculosis, leprosy, and filariasis which have strong association with safe drinking water and sanitation are prevalent. For chronic communicable disease and reproductive and child health (RCH), people from both cities prefer going to public health-care facilities. About a fourth of the population came in contact with the Mitanins to seek health care mostly in relation to chronic communicable diseases and RCH. CONCLUSION: The study shows an increase in the prevalence of chronic lifestyle diseases among the slum population. There is a case for inclusion of chronic conditions, as specified under Comprehensive Primary Health Care. There is a need to reprioritize Mitanin's role in early diagnosis through point-of-care diagnostics and ensuring prompt referrals and follow-up.